SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Though the Illinois General Assembly unanimously passed the proposed Home-to-Market Act (HB 2016; SB 2007) in the spring, the bill has yet to be signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker. The governor’s inaction has prompted the Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA) to reach out to members and small business owners to send a message to the governor asking him to sign the act, which is sponsored by Rep. Will Guzzardi (R-W. Chicago) and Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria), into law.

“This exciting new legislation helps farmers and food entrepreneurs grow a business from their home kitchen and gives Illinois shoppers greater access to support their neighbors and enjoy all the unique, local and artisan foods that Illinois has to offer,” stated Molly Gleason, Alliance communications director. 

In an April ISA webinar, Guzzardi said he believes a different regulatory apparatus should be considered for small, local food producers than what applies to large food corporations. The Chicago lawmaker envisions a legal mechanism that helps local food producers grow and thrive.

“To recognize that difference between cottage food producers and other food producers, I would create a smart regulatory framework that treats cottage food producers appropriately and helps the industry grow,” Guzzardi said.

Currently, cottage food operators who want to sell their products at fairs and festivals, at home, through delivery, and through shipping are restricted by regulations that limit sales to seasonal farmers markets. These regulations hamper business growth and cripple start-up food businesses, Gleason said. Reforming cottage food law will provide more entrepreneurs, especially women, minority and low-income entrepreneurs, a means to start or grow a home-based food business while also giving shoppers greater access to Illinois made products, she said.

“Supporting cottage food businesses means supporting farmers; it means supporting women-owned businesses; it means supporting scale appropriate regulations that enable people of all income-levels, but especially those who are socially disadvantaged, to start and grow a business; it means keeping food dollars local; it means reinvesting in Illinois communities. And it means laying the groundwork for a food secure Illinois, where Illinois farms and food businesses can feed Illinois,” Gleason said.

The legislation has also received backing from the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), which supports an avenue for entrepreneurs to produce and sell certain low-risk products from a home kitchen without the need for a costly commercial kitchen or storefront.

“Cottage food production is a vital market for our farms to add value to the farm, extend their seasons, and reduce farm waste,” said Raghela Scavuzzo, director of food systems development for Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB). “This rule allows farms to safely produce foods from their homes while testing these new market opportunities (and) allows for more market avenues for farmers, including online sales of their cottage food products, while creating fair food safety protocols around the state. We believe these changes reduce barriers to markets and inconsistent regulation that was present in the previous legislation.”

The proposed law is also supported by the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship, the Illinois Environmental Council, the Chicago Food Policy Action Coalition, and a broad stakeholder group of cottage food producers and food justice organizations.

“The act presents an important opportunity to support marginalized and low-income communities that are oftentimes unable to access the necessary assets and finances required to start a business,” said Kevin Erickson, manager of the urban ag program at Loyola University, who helped negotiate and support the bill.

In addition to expanding sales avenues, the Home-to-Market Act adds new food safety provisions negotiated with public health stakeholders to ensure public safety, including a written food safety plan for certain products. It also approves buttercream icing for sale under cottage food law, freeing home-bakers to make cakes, cupcakes, and other high-demand baked goods that customers desire.

The legislation directs the Illinois Department of Public Health to work with a stakeholder group of public health associations and non-profit organizations to issue guidance on a standardized registration form, inspection form and a home-self certification checklist that outlines procedures and equipment for a home-based kitchen operation.

Pritzker received the bill in late June and has 60 days in which to sign or veto the bill. A spokesperson reached at Koehler’s Springfield office said on July 2 that he fully expected the bill to be signed by the governor, as did the IFB’s Scavuzzo.

“Given the unanimous support for the bill we expect the bill to be signed. We are hoping to see it signed soon,” Scavuzzo stated in an email.

For more information about the bill, visit: www.ilstewards.org/hometomarket.